Hosiery guard



L. L. KIRTZ HOSIERY GUARD Jan. 10, 1950 Filed Aug. 4, 1947 IN VEN TOR. .5 all/17L fir'l'z Patented Jan. 1O, 1950 UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE HOSIEBY GUARD Laura L. Kirtz, Cleveland, Ohio Application August 4, 1947, Serial No. 765,901

1 Claim. (CL 2.61)

This invention relates generally to the class of apparel and is directed particularly to improvements in protective clothing, more especially a hosiery guard.

It is well known that in wet weather ladies hosiery becomes easily soiled by the splashing of water from the surface of the street and also becomes stained or spotted where the rain water strikes the hose even though it is not dirtied by previous contact with the street surface.

An object of the present invention is to provide a transparent guard stockin which is designed to be worn over the regular stocking to protect the latter from rain or water splashing from the surface of the street, while at the same time preserving the appearance of the hose or stocking, allowing the latter to be seen clearly to substantially the same extent that it would be if the protective stocking or guard were not present.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plastic hosiery guard of transparent material, which is in the form of a stocking or boot and which is designed or shaped in a novel manner whereby it may be fashioned from a single piece or sheet of the desired plastic.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a transparent plastic hosiery guard designed to completely enclose the foot, ankle and major portion of the calf of the wearer and so formed that it may be easily and quickly put on or taken oif as required.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be understood as limited to the exact details of constructions shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view in plan of the blank of material from which the hosiery guard forming the present invention is made up;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the guard showing the same applied;

Referring now more particularly to the drawing Figure 1 illustrates a blank of the plastic sheet from which the hosiery guard is formed, which blank is generally designated Hi. In the formation of this blank the sheet is cut to form the inwardly curved longitudinal edge flaps II and H and from one end the blank is centrally longitudinally divided through approximately half its length as indicated at l2 to form the two ankle covering portions [3. The lower end of each ankle covering portion is shaped to conform generally to the outline of the foot of the wearer as indicated at I, each of these foot portions, with the joining ankle portion, being designed to cover approximately one half of the foot and the adjacent half of the ankle. At the opposite or top end the blank has the top flap or cufi l5 which is turned down on a transverse fold line l5 for the purpose about to be described.

The marginal flap H extends approximately from the instep portion of the adjacent foot por tion H! of the blank and is designed to be folded along the central line IT. This flap carries along the inner half portion the snap fasteners IS.

The blank is folded along a center line i 9 which joins the inner end of the division 12 and the adjoining edges a of the division I 2 together with the adjoining edges b of the foot portions H are sealed or secured together around the underpart of the heel, lengthwise of the sole and around the toe portion through the top of the foot portion to the point e where the lower end of the flap l I joins the blank. From this point e where the lower end of the flap I I is joined to the blank, to the top, the adjacent parts of the blank remain unconnected but are adapted to be held together in closed relation by the halves of the fasteners l8 carried by the flap ll being engaged with the coacting halves of such fasteners, designated 18a, which are secured to the material at the inner side of the fold line for the flap H. In other words, the legging is closed by placing the wide flap H over the flap II and after the two halves of the snaps are secured together the flap I I is folded back along the line I! so that the outer half of this flap covers the buttons.

It will be seen upon reference to Figure 2 that after the stated edge portions of the blank are secured together in water tight connection there will be produced the stocking or boot shaped shield or guard shown in this figure and generally designated G. The portions [4 of the blank have applied thereto and secured in a suitable manner as by stitching or the like, the reenforcement pieces 2| over the toe section of the blank and over the heel section there are secured the reenforcement pieces 20. After the toe and heel portions of the blank have been joined at their meeting edges the meeting edges of the reenforcement pieces 20 and 2! will also be joined together thereby giving a complete toe reenforcement cap and a heel enclosing part as shown in Figure 2.

When the stocking is applied as shown in Figwe 2 the top flap or cuff I 5 is turned down in the manner shown. The stocking guard is of knee length and by providing the cuff I5 at the top edge thereof additional protection may be given by turning up this cuff if, when wearing the guard during very rainy weather, the raincoat should drip excessively, the guard then functioning to turn away the drops of water running off of the raincoat.

In applying theguarcl the flap i t may be folded in to reenforc'e the area in which the snap fastener halves |8a lie and the inner part of the flap II is then placed over the folded portion of the flap ll so that the other halves 18 ofthe fasteners may be joined to the first mentioned halves. This extra wide flap H provides material to cover the joint between the two sides of the guard so that rain cannot get in and the part of the flap H lying outside the fold line I'l may be folded down to cover' the tops of the fastener elements.

By the provision of tasks at suitable places as indicated: by the reference characters 22 and 23,

desired. shape may be given to th parts to make them conform to the contour ofthe leg. and ankle.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoing that thereis provided in the present invention a novel, attractive and serviceable article which will give fullprotection to stockings and at the same time will not detract from the appearance of the same particularl when made of fully transparent material so that the color of" the stocking can be seen through the guard. Being formed of thin plastic materialit will be strong but light) and may becarried. conveniently in the handbag and: easily and. quickly put on-or taken oif when necessary.

I claim:

A hosiery guard in the formof a stocking having closed foot, ankle and calf portions, comprising a single sheet of waterproof material cut from one end on its longitudinal center through approximately half the length of the sheet forming two separat portions, said separate portions bein adapted to form ankle and foot portions, the outer longitudinal edges of the sheet being curved outwardly toward the opposite end of the sheet, the sheet being folded on its longitudinal center-to superimpose one'of the: foot and ankle portions over the other, the adjacent edges of the foot and ankle portions being sealed together throughout the length of such adjacent edges to the lower part of the front of the ankle, the said outwardly curving outer edges being unconnected, a-portioirot the sheet along each of said outer edges being adapted to provide a fold strip along each of said edges, and fastening elements secured to the sheet adjacent to and along the inner sides of said strips facilitating joining togather the-said longitudinali edges. said. foldstrips beingv adapted when folded tocover the fastening elements.

LAURA L. KIRTZ'.

REFERENCES orrnn The following references are of record in' the file: of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number ,Name Date Re; 13,747 Woodward June t, 1914 1220- 209 Ellis Mar. 27:, 1-917- 1-,5'94 ,086 Arnold J uly'27-, 1-926- 2,262,564 Strother et a1; Nov.v 11, 19M

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 496,046 Great Britain. NOV.24., 1938 

